The present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing device and, more particularly, to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for a photolithographic process including a coating process and a developing process.
A variety of steps are applied to a semiconductor manufacturing process, forming an electric circuit on a substrate such as a semiconductor substrate, a glass substrate, and a liquid crystal panel. Photolithography is classified into a coating process, an exposure process, and a developing process. In the coating process, a photoresist (PR) is conformally coated on a surface of the substrate. Light passes a circuit pattern drawn on a mask using a stepper, exposing the circuit pattern to the substrate on which a photoresist layer is formed, in the exposure process. A layer of a light-receiving portion is developed in the developing process.
FIGS. 1-2 schematically illustrate one and another example of a conventional semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for a photolithographic process, respectively.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 200 for a photolithographic process includes a port 210 where a substrate is loaded/unloaded, a spin coater (SCW) 220 for coating a photoresist onto the substrate, a spin developer (SDW) 230 for developing the substrate, a bake unit (BAKE) 240 for heating up the substrate, a wide expose edge wafer (WEEW) 250 for exposing unnecessary photoresist around a circumference of the substrate. The foregoing units are horizontally arranged according to process flow, and divided at both sides of a central path 260. A robot 270, placed in the path 260, carries the substrate to the port 210, an interface 280, or each of the process units. The interface 280 is a port where an exposure system 150 and the substrate comes in and goes out.
Referring now to FIG. 2, similar to the apparatus 200, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 300 includes a port 310, a spin coater (SCW) 320, a spin developer (SDW) 330, a bake unit (BAKE) 340, and a wide expose edge wafer (WEEW) 350. The foregoing units are divided at both sides of central paths 360 and 380. To increase operating ratio in comparison with the apparatus 200, the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 300 utilizes two robots 370 and 390 as a carrier for carrying a substrate. Units for a coating process and units for a developing process are horizontally arranged. A robot is arranged in the coating units and developing units, respectively. A first interface 400 is arranged therebetween. A robot 370 of a coating process region carries a substrate to the port 310, the first interface 400, or each process unit of the coating process region. A robot 390 of a developing process region carries the substrate to the first interface 400, the second interface 410, or each process unit of the developing process. The second interface 410 is a port where the exposure system 150 and the substrate come in and go out.
Technologies related to the foregoing semiconductor manufacturing apparatus are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,399,531, issued by Wu.
Increasing the operating ratio is subject to limitation. In the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 200 and 300, a coated substrate is carried to an exposure system and, thereafter, the substrate exposed in the exposure system is developed and outwardly carried. Based upon proceeding order of the photolithography, a substrate can sequentially be carried. If a process of one unit is stagnated, a process of others can be stagnated to drop the operating ratio. If only one specific process (e.g., developing process) requires performing, the operating ratio can also be dropped because other units should be carried through a path where they are arranged. Adding each of the units to the apparatus 300 shown in FIG. 2 from the apparatus 200 shown in FIG. 1 causes increase in an equipment area. This cannot achieve practical increase in the operating ratio. Merely, processing units are increased to raise the operating ratio.
Also, in the prior art, if only a developing process is required, without a coating process, a substrate still had to be transferred through a coating process region. This substantially reduces throughput and process efficiency.
Accordingly, there is a need for a semiconductor manufacturing system or apparatus that does not require such an inefficient transfer path.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for a photolithographic process, which can maximize an operating ratio of equipment.
It is another object of the invention to provide a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for a photolithographic process, which can be installed with a relatively small area and easily apply a new process.
According to the invention, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for a photolithographic process having a coating process and a developing process includes a first port, a second port, a coating unit, and a developing unit. In the first and second ports, a substrate comes in and goes out. There is a constant distance between the first and second substrates. The coating unit is installed to couple the first port to the second port, carry the substrate therebetween, and perform a coating process. The developing unit is opposite to the coating module to couple the first port to the second port, carry the substrate therebetween, and perform a developing operation.
The coating unit is composed of: a first path for coupling the first port to the second port; a coating module installed along one side of the first path; and a first carrier, moving between the first and the second ports through the first path, for carrying the substrate to the first port, the second port, or the coating module. The developing unit is composed of: a second path for coupling the first port to the second port; a developing module installed along one side of the second path; and a second carrier, moving therebetween through the second path, for carrying the substrate to the first port or the second port or the developing module. The second port is coupled to an exposure system.
The first path is installed in the coating module, and the second is installed in the developing module. The first and second paths are isolated from each other by an intermediate wall.
The coating module includes a coating unit for coating photoresist onto the substrate, and a bake unit for heating up the substrate. Here, the coating unit and the bake unit can be stacked. The developing module includes a developing unit for forming a pattern on the substrate using the photoresist, and a bake unit for heating up the substrate. Here, the developing unit and the bake unit can be stacked. The bake unit includes at least one heating plate for heating up the substrate, and at least one cooling plate for cooling down the substrate.
The coating process and the developing process are separately performed to scarcely cause process stagnation. In particular, it is possible to efficiently remove stagnation caused by carrying the substrate. Making the most use of the units is to create a stable operating ratio of equipment. The units are stacked, thereby reducing an installation area and easily applying a new or additional process.